


Don't Take My Picture

by OofBoost



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Depressed Lance (Voltron), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Keith (Voltron) Angst, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, M/M, Mild Language, No Smut, Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Suicidal Lance (Voltron), Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 05:52:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15454758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OofBoost/pseuds/OofBoost
Summary: "Lance! I can't- I won't put your picture up! I won't! You don't deserve to be up there! Wake up, you idiot!" Keith was hysterical with tears and yells."Keith? Keith?! What's- Oh my God." Shiro rushed in after hearing all the screams. In fact, everyone was rushing in after hearing the screams, "Keith! Keith, get up!"Shiro attempted to pull Keith away from Lance, he didn't need to be there. He shouldn't be there.-/-Every time Keith loses someone he puts their picture up. Keith loses a lot of people.





	Don't Take My Picture

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: This Story includes a suicide attempt as well as implied mental illness. If you are triggered by this or things relating to this then I ask you please avoid reading this.
> 
> SIDE NOTE: Some of these scenes are from the show itself and I think you should be able to distinguish which ones. I've simply added thoughts to those few scenes, they are not my own. I'm also aware that Keith's Dad died as a Fireman going in to a fire and that Keith admired him greatly. This came to my attention after my writing of this piece. I feel like I should keep my concept of Keith's Dad for the story to fit the plot, so I won't be changing that.
> 
> I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender. All rights go to DreamWorks and Netflix. I only own the writing.

Keith had this thing. He couldn't really explain it if he tried, but he trusted the system. It reminded him where he was in life and what questions needed answering.

 

In the old, worn down, sad, shack he lived in was a line of yarn. Two thumbtacks held it loosely, but nicely together. One blue, pushed to the left side of the red string. Another red, seeming to finish it off.

 

He didn't really understand his own process, but it had a rule. He hung pictures of people he had lost. Perhaps physically to the afterlife, or metaphorically to a reasoning unbeknownst by him. The same people seemed to reside on the yarn. Held together by a small paperclip that seemed too fragile by touch. He found himself constantly having to reapply the pictures as they fell down.

 

Since moving in to the Castle and beginning a new life there, he set his system up once again. It wasn't much. In fact, it was the only thing in his room. All the bland white and gray colors were distracted by this colorful collage of meaninglessness.

 

He stared at the pictures he had now. On the far left was a drawing. It lacked the reality and hope he desire for it, but that only added to its meaning. In sloppy red crayon was a stick figure. Its body tall and slim with long simple hair. The face was no more that two dots and a semi circle, but so much more than anything he knew.

 

Keith remembers drawing that picture in the 1st grade. It was Mother's day and everyone celebrated happily. Meanwhile he continued to ask his Dad the same questions over and over again. Where was his Mom for Mother's day? Had she forgotten her own special day? Keith was willing to forget every sorrowful day he longed for her if she would just show up to class. He wanted to show her off to the class. To let everyone know that there was proof of his life and his love. This woman would proove it, wouldn't she? He guessed the questions got to be too much because his Dad soon confided more in the pit of his soul than the existence of his own son. Keith didn't see much of his Dad after that year. Or any year that followed, really.

 

Which led him to the middle picture. This was his favorite picture of his Father. Mostly because the smile on his face was genuine. It was real. He was smiling at the camera but Keith felt like it was meant for him, even if he hadn't been born yet. He doesn't remember what birth year his Dad was celebrating, but the time had been closing in. A small pointed hat was placed stupidly upon his soft tinted hair. The light contrast had sent most off balance and darkness filled a lot of the picture. He would never be able to tell what his Dad was wearing, but he didn't care. The smile shone bright enough and that's all that mattered.

 

Lastly was the far right of the string. It was such a formal picture and Keith hated it for that. Shiro was no where near as formal as he'd like to be. Once you got to meet him he was rambunctious and out going. He had such a childish hint in his mix that made everything so much better. The picture told a different story. His lips were pierced in to a fine line with determination and discipline. The stiff clothing everyone wore fit even more uncomfortably on to him and it showed. The creases and folds distinguished and hardly disguised. Once he looked past the formality that haunted his soft tainted skin, and looked in to his eyes, he felt at home. His eyes sparkled with the light and despite the bold dullness the color had, it felt colorful. He saw the real Shiro, the one he admired and adored. Perhaps the picture wasn't so bad after all?

 

"Exactly, that's what I'm saying!" Lance exclaimed from outside Keith's open door.

 

Keith looked over to see Lance and Shiro walk down the hall. He only caught a single glimpse but the sight was enough. The smile on both their faces were happily placed and full. His skin wrinkled perfectly and nicely. It was so genuine. It was real.

 

Keith looked back at his line, and for the first time ever, he took the paper clip away along with the picture. Keith wanted to feel lighter. Like all his questions had been answered, but he felt no different. Nonetheless, his collage of 3 turned to a dynamic duo.

 

* * *

 

"I'll go see what's happening at the Arusian village." Keith immediately found his place in the time of panic.

 

"I'll go with you, Keith. I brought this on the poor Arusians." Apparently Allura had too, but he didn't mind.

 

"I'll tend to Lance and stand watch over the castle." Shiro insisted and no one argued. Shiro would be best fit.

 

Keith didn't reply. In fact, no one replied after that. Keith found himself and Allura already running off to the Arusian village, hoping to have a simple mind set.

 

Although, Keith couldn't think about the Arusians. He couldn't think about the Castle either. It was debatable on if he thought about Lance or himself, really. All that ran through his mind was a simple plead to Lance. He had just taken down a picture, he didn't want to put another one up.

 

* * *

 

Keith sighed as he looked to his wall. His arms crossed defiantly but he still bowed his head and shook. This wasn't how things were supposed to be. It was all going downhill so quickly, and he wasn't supposed to have it this way, but when did he ever get what he wanted?

 

Keith closed his eyes and allowed memories of only moments ago to flood his mind. Perhaps he wanted them back, or maybe he had no control anymore. The memories flooded him either way.

 

 

_"Shiro!" He yelled as h_ _e ran towards the Black Lion. It looked so beat up. Despite Keith's bad boy, sad, emo, feeling he emitted, he always hated the color black. He was never really fond of his hair color, but learned to manage. He found himself applying colors, like red and yellow, to the bland mix to make him feel at peace. This creature was of no help to his warmth._

 

_The others followed him but he didn't mind. He had spotted them out and ignored them to the back of his mind. They were of little importance in the moment. All the mattered was Shiro, but as Keith rushed inside the Black Lion, he found himself even more empty, "Shiro?" His voice calmed_

 

_Everyone simply stared at the empty seat. How could this be possible? Someone doesn't just disappear, do they? Keith felt his hope drop and spark inside die away. Lance spoke up._

 

_"He's gone." Lance whispered._

 

_Keith wanted to snap back a snarky comment of the obviousness, but couldn't feel his mouth move. He was frozen at the thought that his best friend, his brother, was gone._

 

 

It all had happened so fast. He never would have expected it. Keith hated surprises. He hated not being able to prepare, it set him on edge. He couldn't even sit on edge with this one. That's what set him off.

 

He opened his eyes and uncrossed his arms. He reached out to his bedside table and opened a small drawer. The confinements were small and little, but stuffed in the back far corner of the drawer was a paperclip and picture that he hoped would be collecting dust for time to come. Now it barely had a fold to search for, "I just got you back, damnit." He whispered to the picture.

 

Reluctantly Keith placed the picture back in to its rightful place. The clip fell nicely along it and Keith hated how easy it felt. He began to hate the picture once again.

 

* * *

 

"Well, if you're feeling up to it, the rest of the team would be thrilled to see you up and around again." Keith suggests. He pauses a moment, "They need you, ya know?"

 

He wanted to express how much he needed Shiro too. He was family. Keith had already lost enough of that, if not all to say the least. There was no room left to lose Shiro too, but Keith kept his mouth shut.

 

"Yeah, I'll try." Shiro replies. His sentences are shorter and more simple. Keith couldn't help but feel off when talking to Shiro. Perhaps Shiro felt this too?

 

"Ok, we'll be on the bridge." Keith finished the conversation there. In all honestly, he just didn't want to talk anymore. Too many thoughts found themselves running a marathon in his head that he wasn't invited to but attended anyway. He just needed to get away.

 

"Hey, Keith?" Shiro calls for him.

 

"Yeah?" Keith turns back one last time.

 

"How many times are you gonna have to save me before this is over?" The smile upon Shiro's face was real, but still fake. It was the same Shiro, but the smile seemed to belong to someone else. Keith couldn't explain it.

 

"As many times as it takes." It was a quick answer and that's all it took. Keith smiled through his response and walked away. Making sure not to seem too anxious.

 

Before managing his way to the bridge, he fell upon his room. He didn't go in, just peered from the outside. On the far right of the string still stuck the picture of Shiro. The bright lights of the room shone nicely against the smooth surface and more importantly, his eyes.

 

Keith looked down and sighed. It was the eyes that sold it for him. He never knew something so simple would be so difficult.

 

Keith longed to walk inside the cold room and take down the picture. In fact, he longed to one day take down all of them.

 

It would be so easy. Shiro was back and that meant he took the picture down, right? His gut couldn't help but churn and twist and tell him he was wrong, so wrong.

 

Keith turned the lights off and let the door automatically close. He begun his walk to the bridge. He never took that picture down. In fact, it would be a long while before he took that picture down.

 

* * *

 

"We'll never penetrate those shields." Matt's concerned face popped up on the screen.

 

Keith's eyes widened with fear and hopelessness. It didn't take long for it to soften to a furrow once realization hit him. Or perhaps it wasn't realization more than preparation. He was ready. What better timing that now?

 

"Maybe not with our weapons." He sharpened his glare and flew away.

 

"Wait, Keith, what are you doing?" Matt called through the com system. Keith had started the down fall in to the shield. He pushed with all of the force he had inside him and inside the ship, "Keith, no!" Matt yelled loudly.

 

Keith didn't care what Matt said, or anyone really for that matter. Timing was short and this was the end. The solution.

 

As the space around him threatened to fade away with blurs of color and stars, he couldn't help but think about his system. He had left it to collect dust in his room at the Castle, never thinking of it again. His mind went straight back to it as one question fought through his mind.

 

Would someone put his picture up once he was gone?

 

Suddenly his vision was filled with orange and red flames that, despite being away, burned against his skin like a reminder. So he flew away from the scene and watched from afar as the ship blew to pieces. Perhaps no one would be putting his picture up today.

 

* * *

 

He glared once again at his system. He never thought it would last this long. Was the fact good or bad? He ignored the questions in his mind and continued to stare.

 

He was looking to the far right of the string, to the poor drawing of his Mother. Keith couldn't help but scoff at it. His ideal Mom was no where near what he received, but was somehow better than he could ever imagine.

 

The drawing didn't belong there. At least not anymore. Keith still had a struggle to bring himself to taking it down. It resided on the string longer than anyone else. This was its home. What right did he have to remove it from its home?

 

He reached out to it and traces the edges along his fingers lightly. He never really noticed the softness of the paper, or the smudge of he crayon, or the small stain in the corner of the paper. He never really looked at any of it.

 

Why couldn't he just take it down? It really wasn't all that hard. Not to mention that within a few weeks he would be gone again. He was just visiting with his Mom, there was nothing more to it. This room really didn't belong to him. At least, it shouldn't. Yet no one had bothered to come and clean it out.

 

He moved his other hand to trace the cold metal of the paperclip. He never liked paperclips. They were so inconvenient and flimsy, but he still found himself using them. He found himself managing on a multitude of things he despised.

 

Slowly he removed the paperclip and took the drawing down. He placed the paperclip in the drawer beside him but still held on to the drawing. It felt lighter than he remember. His hand seemed to float with nothingness. He felt lighter too. Even if the questions seemed to multiply, he felt lighter. He felt his lips curl in to a smile as he placed the picture in to the drawer and closing it away. Closing away the memories.

 

* * *

 

Keith found himself wandering the halls of the Castle. He hadn't been here long but things were already going back to normal. He found himself lacking the sleep necessary and gaining to much motivation than anyone needed.

 

The walls were brighter than he remembered. How could something so white and plain pop out at him? He began to trace his fingers as he walked past, feeling the energy jolt through his fingertips.

 

He should be in bed like the rest of the team, but he knew he would have no luck. What point in being in his room was there? He questioned a lot of his actions, but these seemed justified.

 

He took his hands off the wall and rubbed his fingers together, feeling the happiness the whole place emitted. It shot through him and he felt a shiver crawl down his spine. He turned the corner to find an odd sight.

 

He stopped at the top of some steps to see the lounging area. It was just was he remembered it being. It too was plain but vibrant. He wondered what weird activities he missed while being gone. What had gone down in this room?

 

Currently he found the tall, lanky, boy resting in the comfort of the couch. His head laid back against the top with his arms sprawled out. His mouth wide open. Keith couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

 

"Typical." He shook his head.

 

"You wanna say that to my face?" Lance stirred awake and closed his mouth. He licked his lips to rid of the dryness. Soon he adjusted himself in to a more presentable but chill sitting stance.

 

"And so the beast awakens." Keith commented with little to no emotion in his tone.

 

Keith crossed his arms promptly before walking over to the couch. He sat next to Lance but ensure enough space was left between them.

 

"What are you doing up, man?" Lance quickly asked as he blinked away hidden tiredness.

 

"What are you doing in the lounge?" Keith shot a question back. He allowed Lance to look at him, desiring eye contact, but Keith stared ahead at nothingness.

 

"I asked first." Lance complained.

 

"And I asked second, want an award?" Keith shot a glare at Lance but nothing more.

 

"I wouldn't mind one." Lance admitted shamelessly. Keith said nothing to his statement, waiting for a reply. Lance took the hint and turned off the humorous switch, "I miss home."

 

"So you slept in the lounge?" Keith questions Lance's logic.

 

"What do you notice about the lounge?" Lance asks Keith. Keith is skeptical of the question but nonetheless answers.

 

"The couch is uncomfortable. The lights are too bright. The turning of systems from the door alone makes silence seem impossible. Should I go on?" Keith felt a smile cross his face. Lance's reasoning seemed stupid and Keith felt as if he just proved it.

 

"Exactly. Everything's just so...unsettling. It's perfect." Lance sighs happily as he looks around.

 

"You've lost me." Keith points out gently.

 

"Back home I lived in a house with a lot of people. I learned to adjust to the uncomfortable, the light, the cold, the noise, everything. Now that I'm here, it's all too..." Lance searched for the right word.

 

"Perfect." Keith finished Lance's sentence. This startled him a bit but he pushed it all inside.

 

"Yeah." Lance nods at the choice of words, "So, what's your reasoning?"

 

"I guess the same as yours. Everything is already too perfect. I needed a change." Keith tried explaining as simply and little as possible.

 

"Is that why you took the drawing down?" Lance muttered out, almost as if he said it before he thought. Keith knew Lance wanted to take back what he said as soon as he said it, but this wasn't going to hold Keith back.

 

"What?" Keith snapped his head at Lance. Lance swallowed a lump in his throat.

 

"The drawing...in your room. You took it down. I never really knew what it-" Lance had already began his ramble, but Keith could care less.

 

"Why- _How_ would you know anything about that?" Keith snaps angrily at Lance.

 

"I was gonna check on you, you've been distant lately. You weren't answering so I let myself in. I didn't think it was such-" Lance rambles once again.

 

"Still doesn't explain how you knew it was there in the first place?" Keith felt his voice raise and flinched for Lance. He shouldn't be getting so upset, but he was.

 

"I don't-...I couldn't-..." Lance stuttered and sighed.

 

"This is unbelievable." Keith scoffs and shakes his head.

 

"Keith-" Lance starts to plead.

 

"You invaded my privacy!" Keith yelled as he starts to stand up.

 

"Listen to me, I didn't-"

 

"Was it for a joke? What was it for? To judge me? Use something against me? Are you that _shallow,_ Lance? Desperate?" Keith is yelling lightly as he starts to pace a bit. He lets his mind rush.

 

"Keith, stop-"

 

"I thought you had gotten over this whole 'rivals' thing, right? You're still the same Lance, aren't you? Nothings changed but-" Keith starts to rant.

 

"I missed you!" Lance yelled out. He found his face falling in to his hands as he tried rubbing away any embarrassment on his face, "Alright? I missed you." He said quieter. Keith found himself frozen as he sat back down, "I felt so alone without you here and I-I just...I missed you."

 

"Lance, I didn't know..." Keith felt himself trail off. For the first time in a while, Keith was speechless and his mind was blank. He didn't know what to say or how to react. Everything felt lost in his mind.

 

"This was a mistake." Lance shook his head and rushed to stand up and walk away. Keith acted quickly.

 

"Lance, wait." Keith pleaded as he grabbed Lance's wrist.

 

This pulled Lance back a bit as he stood in place. Keith slowly let the soft caramel skin fall from his grasp and down to Lance's side. Lance had his other hand up to his face, holding his eyes. He hoped he could keep the silent tears that fell all in one place. He didn't sob or cry, he simply felt small droplets rain from his eyes.

 

"I'm sorry." Keith whispers, "Please, sit back down."

 

Lance fell in to the trap of Keith's soft voice and gently sat back on the couch. Although, he couldn't look him in the face. He continued to rest one hand over his eyes with his elbow on his knee. The other arm crossed nicely on his lap. This wasn't where he thought tonight would end up.

 

"I missed you, too." Keith finally admits, even if he hates emotions. He finds his hand placed kindly on Lance's shoulder with a reassuring squeeze.

 

"You mean all of us?" Lance half asks, half corrects.

 

"Yes and no." Keith replies. He can't believe he's gotten this far without giving up on himself.

 

"What do you mean?" Lance removed his hand from his face and looks to Keith. When Keith sees the gloss and shimmer in Lance's eyes, he knows he's done for. His whole world comes crashing down. It's funny, really. He sees the stars, planets, just space in general, on a daily basis, but nothing could compare to the shimmer in Lance's eyes. This boy would be the end of him, he just knew it.

 

"It's nothing, really, Lance." Keith tried waving the conversation off.

 

"Keith," Lance pleads. He feels Keith start to take his hand off his shoulder and out of instinct he reaches for it. His placement is off when he grabs for Keith because he soon finds his hand hooking on to Keith's. His fingers right on top of Keith's and held gently. He gives Keith time and room to move but he doesn't, neither does Lance. The two just stare at each other for a moment, eyes locked, "I'm gonna say something really weird and you have to promise-"

 

"Damnit, Lance!" Keith mutters as he breaks the gap.

 

Keith shakes his head and rushes in. He pushes his face forward and soon they're touching. Their lips touch nicely against. It's a feeling they could never imagine or dream of, really.

 

Their lips are smooth and soft, despite their rigorous jobs. Their noses brush against each others cheek lightly that send volts through their skin. Even with their eyes closed lightly, they see an aurora of lights dancing before them. It's like time has stopped, just for them.

 

_Shllkkkkk click_

 

A sudden shutter and clasp fills the air. Out of fear, the two boys pull away and look behind them. The sight before them sends a red hot flush to their cheeks from embarrassment.

 

"Pidge, c'mon!" Hunk whisper-yells as he gently hits Pidge.

 

"I had to!" Pidge whisper-yells back.

 

"We're right here!" Keith yells with a small voice crack. The sight is one to see. Everyone, and that includes everyone, is crowded around the door frame to see. Pidge, Hunk, Shiro, Coran, Allura, even Krolia, all huddled together around the edges.

 

"Just pretend we are not." Allura suggests as all of them fade away.

 

Keith and Lance find themselves smiling brightly. Things would be different from that day on, and perhaps they didn't mind. Although, the never really knew how different things would be.

 

* * *

 

Things seemed to have gone down hill as quickly as they went up. It came to Keith's attention that things hadn't been all sunshine and roses for Lance. No one could really explain why. He had changed slowly over a course of time. So slow that no one even noticed.

 

Eventually he had stopped showing up for meals. At first it was breakfast and no one minded. They assumed he needed the sleep or felt ill. Then he started missing dinner. They assumed he had a snack previously of just wasn't hungry. This didn't raise any suspicion once he started to miss lunch as well.

 

He was spending so much time in his room, away from the others. They didn't mind. They all assumed he was busy playing games or just tired.

 

Then came the attitude changes. Lance had stopped smiling, stopped laughing, stopped making jokes, stopped flirting, he had stopped being Lance.

 

They tried confronting him on multiple occasions, but it never went well. Lance would refuse to give up denying everything, or he'd storm out in frustration, or fake his jokes and smiles through it. No one could get through to him. Once Keith heard about this, he too tried to get through to him, but had no luck.

 

It had been roughly a week since the kiss. Him and Lance were closer now, and Keith wasn't going to let Lance get by with this anymore. He was sick of worrying. So he rushed his way to Lance's room

 

"Lance?" Keith knocked twice on the door. There was no answer. Even if it had been hours since breakfast, he assumed Lance was taking a nap, so he tried again louder, "Lance?!" He knocked again.

 

Still, there was no answer. Actually, there was no attempt at an answer. No creak in the bed or groan from his lips, it was just an eerie silence that Keith had grown to hate.

 

"Lance, I'm coming in!" Keith announces and he rushes through.

 

The door automatically opens and Keith walks in. At first he feels like an idiot. The room is empty, there's no Lance to be seen. Keith feels almost embarrassed, until he actually deducts some aspects.

 

Keith creeps at an incredibly slow pace towards the bathroom. It's door is cracked open the tiniest bit, letting only a sliver of light through. He is debating if he actually wants to go through with this. Does he want to see what's behind this door, because chances are, he might not like it.

 

He opens the door. Everything comes in at once. It's like slow motion and he feels like he's being hit with a ton of bricks.

 

Lance laid on the bathroom floor. Keith didn't take in the other sights around him, like the specific patterns drawn to the curtains, or the odd set up for the shower, or the blue towels that matched him perfectly, none of that mattered to him anymore. What mattered was Lance.

 

One leg bent comfortably with the other straighter out. Both of his arms laid down, facing the forearms up. Lance's head was rolled to the side with his eyes perfectly closed. It was so gently and his eyelashes fell nicely, but his skin looked drained. Perhaps that had to do with the long, crimson, painful, cuts on his forearms. It was only one on each forearm, but Keith didn't have to look twice to know the depth. The knife sat only inches away from Lance's right hand, covered in his blood. He shouldn't be seeing this. Seeing Lance's insides, out. Blood is meant for inside the body, not out, but he couldn't help but see the glisten of the blood against the light. There was nothing beautiful about this picture, only pain.

 

Keith reacted almost immediately, like he was having some sort of allergic reaction. Lance was his poison.

 

"Lance?! Lance!? What the hell?!" Keith yelled out. He let angry tears fall down his face, he couldn't control them. He felt this knot in his throat and he just wanted to cry, but he couldn't, "Lance! Stop it! Stop it, Lance! Wake up!" Keith yelled louder than ever before. Voice cracks multiplied by the second.

 

He found himself head for the floor, stepping over the knife. He adjusted Lance in to his lap. Keith held on to Lance's upper arms and shook him lightly. His head rested nicely against Keith's leg, but didn't move. He was so much more heavier than he looked. Keith doing all the work only reminded him what was happening, he hated it.

 

"Lance! I can't- I won't put your picture up! I won't! You don't deserve to be up there! Wake up, you idiot!" Keith was hysterical with tears and yells.

 

"Keith? Keith?! What's- Oh my God." Shiro rushed in after hearing all the screams. In fact, everyone was rushing in after hearing the screams, "Keith! Keith, get up!"

 

Shiro attempted to pull Keith away from Lance, he didn't need to be there. He shouldn't be there.

 

"No! Stop it! Stop, Shiro! Let go of me!" Keith cried louder. He only got angrier and sadder. The tears flowed more freely as he felt a threatening sob.

 

"Keith! Keith, stop it!" Shiro gritted his teeth as he struggled to get Keith away.

 

Eventually he was able to grab hold on Keith. With what strength he had left, Keith hooked his ankles and feet against the floor, trying to get free from Shiro, but couldn't. This only assisted Shiro in hauling Keith out of the bathroom. As the two left the bathroom, Coran and Allura rushed in to tend to Lance.

 

"No! You asshole! You asshole! You're an asshole, Lance! How could you?!" Keith had started to yell and sob at the same time.

 

Shiro struggled with Keith. Shiro faced away from the bathroom to hold Keith away. He had his arms hooked to Keith, but that hasn't stopped him from struggling even more.

 

"Keith, Keith, calm down." Shiro said in an even lighter tone.

 

"No! This isn't fair! This...isn't...fair..." Keith slowly calmed down.

 

Maybe it was from the breathing. He hadn't realized how quick it was. Or maybe the yelling exhausted him, along with the struggles against Shiro, but Keith gave up. He began to sob loudly. He gripped tightly on to Shiro's shirt and fell in to him. He just cried. He couldn't hold himself up anymore, he felt his legs give out and he was on the ground. Shiro held him against his chest and hugged him tightly. The two rocked back and forth as Keith sobbed and Shiro let loose a few rebel tears. Keith didn't want to add another picture to the system, he just took one down.

 

* * *

 

"Keith, ready to go?!" Krolia called from the hall, no where in sight of Keith.

 

"Yeah, I'm coming!" Keith called back.

 

Keith looked out in front of him. The lights were dimmed so no light shimmered in a dance against the pictures. They hung there nicely, too nicely.

 

It was just his Dad and Shiro with pictures up there. For a day he had Lance's picture up there. That was while he was in the cryopod. He had lost all hope that Lance would make it. Later on he ended up taking it down. That was after the Cuban boy fell in to his arms, emerging from a sleep, and would later fall back in to one as he cuddled in to Keith's embrace with tears as a lullaby. Lance's picture didn't deserve to be up there.

 

Keith's eyes fell to Shiro's picture. Perhaps the Shiro he had right now didn't feel like him, and perhaps it wasn't, but it didn't matter. He remember what Shiro was like, he remembered every detail of the silly older boy. He remembered how Keith would swing his emotions at Shiro like a bat, aiming for nothing but hoping to hit something. Shiro would somehow dodge these hits, or maybe he got hit, but he never fell down. He took Keith in and took the bat away. He grounded Keith back to Earth. He remembered giving up on himself and sometimes Shiro as well, but Shiro never gave up on him. He remembered listening to Shiro's story like he was some old man that held all the answers to the Universe. He remembered the smile on Shiro's face every time the two came together after a long day. Nothing would beat that smile. He surely hadn't lost Shiro. His picture didn't belong up there, so Keith took it down.

 

The final picture to remain was his Dad. The picture showed the Dad he would never remember, never really met either. Nonetheless he respected him. He knew how difficult this was for his Dad. For years he questioned which would be worse, growing up without a Mom, he hadn't even met her, or knowing her and losing her. For years the question popped in and out and Keith found himself arguing from both sides. Today he finally felt the answer to be true. It was so much harder to lose someone you knew than miss someone you had never met. He pitied his Dad more than himself. His Dad had worked hard but it all had been too much. Keith couldn't continue to be angry anymore. He never truly lost his Father, just blurred him out. If he hadn't lost Shiro, then he definitely hadn't lost his Father either. He took his Father's picture down.

 

A single picture weighed in his hand of a person he really didn't know, but he knew they deserved to be up there. Keith didn't hesitate. He took the picture and clipped it firmly against the string. He didn't let his mind travel any further, he was done thinking. So he walked out the door. He stopped by the frame and turned his shoulder. He had one last glance at the picture. 

 

[ ](https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjWyMbh2r_cAhUo4oMKHTc4C_gQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hubofleather.com%2Fproduct%2Fvoltron-force-keith-jacket%2F&psig=AOvVaw2oHDe-vwMIYKZC_M-v3L1T&ust=1532795609158223)

 

Keith walked away.

**Author's Note:**

> This was my first fanfiction and I hope it was enjoyable! I had a fun time writing it! If it's desirable, I can write and prequel that includes Keith FIRST putting up his Mom, Dad, and Shiro's pictures. Just let me know what the thoughts are! :)
> 
> SIDE NOTE: I don't know how this app really well and I accidentally posted like 20 versions of this story, all the same. I need to aplogize for the spam. My laptop and phone have been glitching and the inconvience was detrimental. I've deleted them all, which is good, but I still apologize for those who had to endure a random unreasonable spam.


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